March week: Day 6

 

It was a very misty start this morning, but with the promise of sunshine to come.  The level of the canal had also dropped a bit overnight, and the boat was on a slightly jaunty angle which required a loosening of the ropes.  Later, I walked along to the spill weir, and found it had much less water going over it than yesterday.

I spent the morning writing up yesterday’s boat test, during which time the mist was burnt off by the sun.  Before lunchtime, the solar panel had topped the batteries right up again.  After lunch, I set off to turn around.  There are signs of spring everywhere, and I particularly liked seeing that the blackthorn blossom is out.

It was a bit chaotic at the bottom of Stoke Bruerne locks, where I wanted to turn around.  The Jules Fuels boats were on the water point, two boats were coming out of the bottom lock, and a boat ahead of me was going in.  I initially held back for the exiting boats, because I didn’t want to turn right in front of them — but they indicated that they both wanted to go onto the water point.  So I started my turn in the mouth of the arm, only to find there was a boat coming out; fortunately he waited, while behind me, the Jules boats pushed across to their moorings the other side, and the two boats eventually got near the taps.

I retraced my steps, but continued past last night’s mooring and pulled in opposite Kingfisher Marina.  I’ve never stopped here before, preferring to go on a few more bridges where the A508 is a bit further away.  But I’m off out with my cousin Catherine this evening, and this is a more convenient place to be picked up.  We’re going to see Sam Outlaw at The Stables in Milton Keynes.

This afternoon I went for a walk up to Yardley Gobion, which I’ve only previously driven through before. It’s a rather pretty village.

I followed another foot bath across a field back down to the canal a few bridges along.  On getting back to the boat, I chatted to Leon on The Old Bovine which is moored behind me, partly because I remembered that he knew Lesley and Joe from Steadfast.  I texted Lesley, who accidentally phoned me back — so it was was nice to have an unexpected catch up!

5 miles, 0 locks.  (37 miles, 4 locks)